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20 Aug 2009, 15:00

3

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A

B

C

D

E

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(N/A)

Question Stats:

59%(02:54) correct
41%(02:18) wrong based on 136 sessions

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Most geologists believe oil results from chemicaltransformations of hydrocarbons derived fromorganisms buried under ancient seas. Suppose,instead, that oil actually results from bacterial actionon other complex hydrocarbons that are trappedwithin the Earth. As is well known, the volume ofthese hydrocarbons exceeds that of buried organ-isms. Therefore, our oil reserves would be greaterthan most geologists believe.

Which of the following, if true, gives the strongestsupport to the argument above about our oilreserves?(A) Most geologists think optimistically about theEarth's reserves of oil.(B) Most geologists have performed accurate chem-ical analyses on previously discovered oilreserves.(C) Ancient seas are buried within the Earth atmany places where fossils are abundant.(D) The only bacteria yet found in oil reserves couldhave leaked down drill holes from surfacecontaminants.(E) Chemical transformations reduce the volume ofburied hydrocarbons derived from organismsby roughly the same proportion as bacterialaction reduces the volume of other complexhydrocarbons.

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20 Aug 2009, 18:48

sher676 wrote:

Most geologists believe oil results from chemicaltransformations of hydrocarbons derived fromorganisms buried under ancient seas. Suppose,instead, that oil actually results from bacterial actionon other complex hydrocarbons that are trappedwithin the Earth. As is well known, the volume ofthese hydrocarbons exceeds that of buried organ-isms. Therefore, our oil reserves would be greaterthan most geologists believe.

Which of the following, if true, gives the strongestsupport to the argument above about our oilreserves?(A) Most geologists think optimistically about theEarth's reserves of oil.(B) Most geologists have performed accurate chem-ical analyses on previously discovered oilreserves.(C) Ancient seas are buried within the Earth atmany places where fossils are abundant.(D) The only bacteria yet found in oil reserves couldhave leaked down drill holes from surfacecontaminants.(E) Chemical transformations reduce the volume ofburied hydrocarbons derived from organismsby roughly the same proportion as bacterialaction reduces the volume of other complexhydrocarbons.

(B) Most geologists have performed accurate chemical analyses on previously discovered oilreserves.> neutral.

(C) Ancient seas are buried within the Earth at many places where fossils are abundant.> neutral.

(D) The only bacteria yet found in oil reserves could have leaked down drill holes from surfacecontaminants.> weakens the hypothesis > weakens conclusion.

(E) Chemical transformations reduce the volume of buried hydrocarbons derived from organisms by roughly the same proportion as bacterial action reduces the volume of other complex hydrocarbons.> same 'yield' > but hydrocarbon is more abundant > conclusio is strengthened.

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15 May 2011, 08:43

E strengthen the hypothetical conclusion that 'our oil reserves would be greaterthan most geologists believe'. because 'reduction in same proportion' is used , so greater amount of something -> more is left after proportional reduction.
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10 Jul 2012, 04:45

Correct answer should be E.

Since both processes (bacterial and chemical) convert their respective starting materials (of which, by the way, there is more of for the chemical process), we can comfortably conclude that the reserves of oil would be more than previously thought.

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14 May 2014, 01:53

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05 Jun 2015, 13:40

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.